Blood Center honored for high performance in treatment of prostate cancer

The Rock River Valley Blood Center (RRVBC) has received the “High-Performer Award” for their autologous T-cell collections in the support of patients being treated for stage-4 prostate cancer. The national award recognizes RRVBC’s award-winning performance based on collection metrics in the last year.

RRVBC supports prostate cancer patients by playing a critical role in one of the latest advances in prostate cancer treatment options, the first-in-class immunotherapy, Provenge (sipuleucel-T), manufactured by Dendreon Corporation. Provenge is the only FDA-approved treatment for certain men with advanced prostate cancer that uses the patient’s own immune system to fight the disease. Provenge is designed to stimulate a patient’s immune system to identify and target prostate cancer cells. Each dose is manufactured specifically for each patient using his own immune cells.

The RRVBC collects immune cells from the patient through a process called apheresis. Once these cells are collected, they are immediately shipped to a Dendreon manufacturing facility, where the cells are manufactured into the patient’s own personal dose of Provenge. The immune cells are then returned to the patient as a transfusable drug to fight prostate cancer administered by a physician.

The RRVBC serves as a centralized, community blood center and is the only provider of blood products and services to Beloit Health System, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services, FHN, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rochelle Community Hospital, Rockford Health System, SwedishAmerican Health System and SwedishAmerican Medical Center — Belvidere.